1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a lift apparatus for lifting a load from a first position to a second position. More particularly, the present invention relates to a lift apparatus for lifting a structural load as exemplified by a structural cap or roof construction from a first supported position atop a structural bottom to a second raised position for creating a fillable space between the raised second position and the structural bottom, which fillable space may then be filled a second, cap-supporting construction.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Certain prior art generally related to the subject invention are briefly described hereinafter. U.S. Pat. No. 1,685,144 ('144 patent), which issued to Austin for example, discloses an Elevator and Support for Wall Boards and the Like. The '144 patent describes a device for elevating wall boards and the like to ceilings and supporting them in the place to be nailed. The device comprises, in combination, a base, a tubular standard telescopically mounted on the base, a plug in the top of the tubular standard, a plurality of outwardly extending brackets secured to the plug, a horizontal and substantially oblong open work frame carried by said brackets, and mechanical means to raise said standard.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,222,243 ('243 patent), which issued to Sandstrom, discloses a Portable Hoisting Jack. The '243 patent describes a hoisting jack of upstanding channel frame members having the channels thereof arranged in opposed relation, spacing members securing the channel members in spaced parallel relation, the lower ends of said channel members extending horizontally outwardly to provide supporting feet for the bottom of said channel members, a substantially U-shaped base having the end portions secured to the outer ends of said feet, braces extending from said base member to said channel members, wheels journalled on said base member and normally maintained out of ground-engaging position, said wheel members being adapted for engagement with the ground upon a tilting movement of said frame members and a work-engaging platform adjustably carried by said channel members.
Referencing U.S. Pat. No. 2,675,211 ('211 patent), which issued to Regoord, for example, discloses an Extensible Column. The '211 patent describes an extensible column comprising a plurality of tubular sections, one section comprising a fixed base section, a second section being arranged in and telescopically with the base section, a plurality of other sections telescoping in the second section and with each other.
Each of the sections of the '211 patent have upper ends whereat there extend circumferentially spaced arms, with sheaves on said sections at the inner ends of the arms, said sheaves operating in elongated apertures in adjacent sections in keying the sections against rotary movement one with respect to the other, the lower end of the second section having two pairs of sheaves, a pair of cables looped around said pairs of sheaves of the second section and passing around the sheaves at the upper ends of the base section, one end of said cables being fixed to the lower portion of the base section, a winding mechanism, and the other end of said cables being fixed to a member of said mechanism whereby, in the operation of said mechanism, the looped portions of said cables are reduced and said second section is raised in the base section.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,777,660 ('660 patent), which issued to Albrecht, discloses Adjustable Shores. The '660 patent describes an adjustable supporting column comprising a tubular lower section having the upper end thereof open, an upper section having a plurality of longitudinally spaced diametrical openings therethrough telescopically received in the open upper end portion of said tubular lower section for initial axial extending and retracting movements. An extension element is threadably engaged with the upper end portion of said lower section, and a collar overlies and engages said extension element having independent rotary and axial movement therewith on said upper section.
Certain operating means on said extension element rotate the same to provide vernier axial adjustment of said upper section through said collar, said collar having pairs of diametrically opposed longitudinally spaced step-like portions each pair of which provide a supporting surface selectively supporting the ends of a pin inserted through a selected opening in said upper section providing an intermediate axial adjustment of said upper section between said initial and vernier adjustments, aligned diametrical openings in said extension element alignable with a selected opening in the upper section for receiving means to secure the sections together for transportation or storage.
The '660 patent teaches a device having a beam supporting saddle as referenced at 5. Telescopic members that may be raised or lowered (in steps via the collar element 15), and pin-receiving apertures formed in the upper tubular element for preventing axial displacement of the upper tubular member relative to the lower tubular member.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,896,908 ('908 patent), which issued to Stone, discloses a Fluorescent Fixture Hoist. The '908 patent describes a lifting hoist comprising a base, a main cylinder secured to said base, a plurality of telescoping members adjustably supported upon said base for movement between a retracted and an extended position, (manually operated) means for selectively effecting said movement of said telescoping members, said manually operated means comprising a lift chain having a plurality of pivotally connected links. One end of said lift chain is connected to the inner one of said lift chain being connected to the inner one of said telescoping members. Drive means effect longitudinal movement of the opposite end of said lift chain, and means associated with adjacent ones of said links intermediate said one end of said lift chain and said drive means for rigidifying said pivotally connected links for exerting a compressive axial force therethrough.
Each of said links comprising a pair of identical sides each having a base and an inwardly offset end portion, an outermost and an innermost pin extending through the bases of each pair of sides, each said offset end portion defining a longitudinal slot and a terminal recess, said outermost pin being slidably and pivotally received with the longitudinal slots of the inwardly offset portions of the next adjacent link, and said terminal recesses displaceably receiving the innermost pin of said next adjacent link.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,026,090 ('090 patent), which issued to Anderson, discloses a Ceiling Material Hoist. The '090 patent describes a hoist for handling ceiling material and the like, comprising a base, a vertical post upstanding from said base, a tubular lifting standard surrounding and vertically slidable on said post, a guide member spaced above said base and extending about said lifting standard in slidable engagement with said standard, said standard being slidable up and down within said guide member, supporting means connecting said guide member and base, a material support carried by the upper end of said lifting standard, and winch means carried by said guide member at the outer side of said member and including a hoisting cable exterior to said lifting standard and operatively connected to the lower end portion of said lifting standard.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,158,354 ('354 patent), which issued to Ward, discloses a Lifting Device. The '354 patent describes a lifting device comprising a vertically directed post, said post having a substantially square cross section, a pulley rotatably mounted adjacent to the upper end of said post, a frame mounted for vertical movement upwardly and downwardly along said post, wherein said post extends vertically through said frame and is disposed diagonally with respect to said frame so that one corner of said post is directed toward the front of said frame and the diagonally opposite corner of said post is directed toward the rear of said frame.
Lifting means are carried by said frame for engaging an object to be lifted, and a first roller is rotatably mounted on said frame adjacent to the rear corner of said post. Said roller has a pair of inwardly directed right angular walls of substantially equal size forming a V adjacent to its center, said wall being disposed so as to engage both sides of said post simultaneously and equally adjacent to the rear corner thereof and to move vertically therealong.
A second roller is rotatably mounted on said frame adjacent to the front corner of said post on the opposite side of said post from said first roller. The second roller has a pair of inwardly directed right angular walls of substantially equal size forming a V adjacent to its center. The walls are disposed so as to engage both sides of said post simultaneously and equally adjacent to the front corner thereof and to move vertically therealong. A cable is attached at a lower end to said frame. A reel is rotatably mounted on the rear of said frame, the opposite end of said cable being attached to said reel, and means for rotating said reel to move said frame and lifting means vertically upwardly and downwardly along said post.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,861,647 ('647 patent), which issued to Meredith, discloses a Jack Structure. The '647 patent describes a jack which comprises an elongated hollow upright base section, an elongated tubular intermediate section mounted for telescopic movement inside the base section, an elongated inner section mounted for telescopic movement inside the intermediate section, a first pulley means mounted on a lower end portion of the intermediate section, second pulley means mounted on an upper end portion of the intermediate section, a winch mounted on the base section, cable means extending from the winch downwardly between the base section and the intermediate section and around the first pulley means, upwardly from the first pulley means to and over the second pulley means, and downwardly from the second pulley means to a cable anchor mounted on the inner section adjacent a lower end portion thereof, and means for turning the winch to cause raising of the inner and intermediate sections, the intermediate section and the inner section being provided with transverse alignable openings for receiving a pin to cause the inner and intermediate sections to move together, the inner section being raisable with respect to the intermediate section when the pin is removed and the winch is turned.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,508,316 ('316 patent), which issued to Millard, discloses a Cable Driven Jack. The '316 patent describes a jack, comprising: a base; a hollow upright member secured to and projecting from said base; a first support tube telescoped within said upright member; a second support tube telescoped within said first support tube; drive means carried by said upright and selectively engaging said first and second support tubes to move said tubes between retracted and extended positions with respect to said upright member at different speeds; and said drive means including a winch mounted on said upright member and a cable having one end secured to said winch; and attachment means carried by said first and second support tubes for releasably and selectively engaging the opposed end of said cable.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,757,975 ('975 patent), which issued to Gordon et al., describes a Long Travel Beam Jack. The '975 patent describes a jack for supporting a ceiling beam which comprises: a base member disposed upon a horizontal flat surface; a first support member retained at lower end by said base member in a vertical position; a first track member mounted transversely to upper end of said first support member; a second support member; a second track member mounted transversely to lower end of said second support member whereby said second track member can travel on said first support member while said second support member can travel within said first track member; a plate member for carrying the ceiling beam, said plate member being pivotly connected to upper end of said second support member; means mounted between said first track member and said second track member along side of said second support member for raising and lowering said second support member; a telescoping adjustment portion slidably extending upwardly therefrom, with said plate member pivotly connected to the upper end of said telescoping adjustment portion, said telescoping adjustment portion having a plurality of vertically spaced apart apertures therethrough; a locking pin extending through said second support member and any of the apertures in said telescoping adjustment portion to vary overall height of said jack; a winch mechanism suspended downwardly from said first track member, said winch mechanism includes a spool having a ratchet wheel formed on one flange of the spool and a pivotable arm having a pawl engageable with the ratchet wheel to turn the spool; a pulley suspended upwardly from said second track member; a cable attached at one end to bottom of said winch mechanism, extending around said pulley and winded around the spool of said winch mechanism for raising and lowering said second support member when said winch mechanism is manually activated by the pivotable arm thereof; a spring biased foot lever mounted to said base member; a plurality of rollers spaced apart and each of which is rotatably affixed to said base member, side of said first support member opposite from said second support member and top of said first track member; and an elongated second cable attached at one end to said foot lever, extending past said rollers with other end attached to distal end of the pivotable arm of said winch mechanism so that a person can operate said winch mechanism by foot control.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,942,198, ('198 patent), which issued to Huang, describes a Lifter. The '198 patent describes a lifter constructed to include a hollow main upright, a frame pivoted to the main upright to carry a hand winch, a link coupled between the frame and the main upright, a hollow auxiliary upright axially movably mounted in the hollow main upright, a lifting upright axially movably mounted in the hollow auxiliary upright, two first pulley blocks coupled between the hand winch and the hollow auxiliary upright and adapted to lift the hollow auxiliary upright upon operation of the hand winch, and two second pulley blocks coupled between the hollow main upright and the lifting upright and adapted to lift the lifting upright upon operation of the hand winch after the hollow auxiliary upright has been extended out of the hollow main upright.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,857,287 ('287 patent), which issued to Rucks, describes a Lifting Device. The '287 patent describes a lifting device which includes a jack having a first portion and a second portion movable relative to the first portion. A coupling is fixedly attached to the second portion for movement relative to the first portion, the coupling extending away from the second portion and having a configuration for selective attachment to a receiver hitch. The second portion may be moved relative to the first portion with a handle. The lifting device includes a sleeve coupled to the coupling for movement with the sleeve. Support tubing may extend through the sleeve for contact with the ground. This tubing may be locked into place relative to the sleeve. With the tubing, sleeve, and coupling locked into place, a vehicle will be upheld if the jack portions fail. The lifting device may also include a bumper attachment for raising a vehicle that does not have a receiver hitch.
It will be seen from a review of the foregoing in particular, and the field of load lifting means in general that the prior art perceives a need for a telescopic tube construction having means for lifting an inner tube of such construction relative to an outer tube of such construction via winch means connected to the inner tube for directing lifting force through a lengthwise slot formed in the outer tube construction. Accordingly, the present invention provides a lift apparatus of the foregoing type as summarized in more detail hereinafter.